Captain’s Log, Stardate 08.11.2006 Beauty to Unveil : “To experience the strength of a man is to have him speak on our behalf.” While I agree that I do appreciate when my husband speaks for me, this isn’t the only way I experience his strength, and this statement seems a bit generalized. She also talks about how he prayed for her. While that’s a wonderful picture of a spiritual husband, not only husbands do that for women. Other women often intercede in prayer for their sisters in Christ. This also makes me wonder what message it would send to a woman who didn’t have a spiritual husband or who didn’t have a husband at all. Would it make her feel alone, frustrated, resentful? I do admit that when my husband is being strong of character, forceful when I am weak or hesitant, that is attractive to me. Maybe that’s what she’s talking about when she says that “The strength of a man is first a soulish strength—a strength of heart.” I like how she segueways that into how a woman’s beauty, the...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 08.10.2006 Today I have debut novelist Jill Nelson with me! Jill didn’t know what she was getting into when she agreed to a “little interview” with the Camster. Let’s hope she escaped with sanity unscathed. Hehehehe. Jill’s latest novel is  RELUCTANT BURGLAR , the first book in her To Catch a Thief series! Art Stole Her Heart... Now, can she return the favor? If Desiree Jacobs knows anything, it's art. Her father, whose security company is internationally renowned, taught her everything he knew. Most of all, he taught her about honor. Integrity. Faith. So surely God will forgive her for despising the one man determined to destroy her father's good name? Special Agent Tony Lucano knows Hiram Jacobs is an art thief. But what he can't figure out is Desiree. Is she the innocent she claims, or a clever accomplice? Then Hiram is murdered. And along with his company, he leaves Desiree a hidden container—full of stolen paintings. But she can...

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.09.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is THE SIMPLE LIFE by Wanda Brunstetter . My Monday book giveaway is MY SO-CALLED LOVE LIFE by Allie Pleiter . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for THE SIMPLE LIFE and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Conference! The ACFW conference is one of the highlights of my year. I’m a bullet-points kind of gal, so here’s why: * Meeting online friends face-to-face, both new and old. It’s thrilling to see people I’ve only e-mailed with, and to give and receive hugs from people I haven’t seen since conference last year. The comraderie is festive. * Small conference. There’s only about 300-350 people who attend the conference, rather than 2000+ like RWA National, so it’s easy to find people, meet up with them, bump into them in the halls or in workshops, have meals together. * Spiritual refreshing. Unlike ...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 08.07.2006 Today, I have chick-lit author Allie Pleiter guest blogging for me! Allie’s post is especially helpful to writers. Allie is a hilarious writer. Don’t believe me? Check out her free online read at eHarlequin.com for the “prequel” to the Steeple Hill chick-lit I’m giving away today! Allie's latest romance novel is  MY SO-CALLED LOVE LIFE . A cartoon character is ruining my love life! Yes, it's true. I'm the voice of Maggy Hoot, the wisecracking owl from the hit animated series Arborville. And as soon as any cute or eligible or even breathing guy realizes what I do for a living, the relationship is over before it's started. I'm actually Lindy Edwards, a smart, educated woman who would really like to get past the third date with a nice Christian man without having to give a hoot-owl impersonation. Is that too much to ask? And now, here’s Allie! As I writer, I very rarely suffer from writer’s block. No wait, don’t hate...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 08.06.2006 Leave any prayer requests in the comments and I’ll be praying this week. You don’t have to be Christian to leave a prayer request. If you’d rather not advertise to everyone on the blogosphere, just leave an unspoken prayer request or e-mail me. If I forgot your prayer request, e-mail me. Not to be mean or anything, but if you don't e-mail me or comment to update your prayer request, I'm only going to pray 3 Sundays. Father, we lift our hearts up to you. Give Jaen and her children strength and courage and grace during this time, and continue to provide for all of them. I pray Angie B.’s daughter’s surgery will go well and that you will show her how much you love her. I lift up Nancy B.’s aunt, and her family. Lord only you know what they need. Cover them with your wings. Give Gail, Brenda, and Bob your grace and peace. I lift up Heather to you. Please take away her headache. Thank you that she got her submission off. I pray you will speak clear...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 08.05.2006 Romanced : I apologize that I’m late posting this, because I know you guys are just waiting with bated breath for my brilliant thoughts. “This wild God of mine . . . loves me. Not in a religious way, not in the way we usually translate when we hear, ‘God loves us.’ Which usually sounds like ‘because he has to’ or meaning ‘he tolerates you.’” These few sentences really struck me, for several reasons. 1) This wild God of mine. I love that description of him! 2) I’ve definitely felt sometimes that “God loves us” really does seem to say “because he has to” or “he tolerates you.” I could totally relate to that, even though I know in my head that it’s not true. I don’t like how she equates the passion of the persecuted church with Romance . I understand she’s trying to show women that their faith isn’t just obedience, but it’s passionate obedience, passionate faith, complete and total abandonment to God. I just don’t like the term Romance because it has a d...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 08.04.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is SECRETS OF THE ROSE by Lois Richer . My Thursday book giveaway is THE SIMPLE LIFE by Wanda Brunstetter . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for SECRETS OF THE ROSE and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Sorry to be AWOL today, I forgot to post last night that I’m working on some critiques and contest judging. Tomorrow I’ll post on my Blog Bible Study. Meanwhile, have fun talking behind my back.